Latching mechanism for vacuum cleaners



R. c. LAMPE ET AL 2,724,456

Nov. 22, 1955 LATCHING MECHANISM FOR VACUUM CLEANERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1953 IN VEN TORS I R. C. LAMPE ET AL LATCHINC MECHANISM FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Nov. 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1953 INVENTOR$= Banner 6. lamp: (Le/vow H. 55505 UL! VEE L. Quew Hun/ A CHWL BY M M f m li 'ORNEY Nov. 22, 1955 R. c. LAMPE 5% AL LATCHING MECHANISM FOR VACUUM CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 4, 1953 IN VEN TORS 1 P055197 Clan/1P5 9167x1010 H 55505 UL 1/52 L fills/v Fuzz/v h of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 10 designates generally a housing to which is suitably secured a pairof runners 12 for supporting the housing in a sub United States Patent MECHANISM FOR "ACUUM LATCHING CLEANERS Robert C. Lampe and Arnold H. Beetle, Fatamforrl, Oliver 6 h L. Allen, Riverside, and Allen P. Cawl, Stamford, Connl, assignors to Electrolux Corporation, Greets wich, Conn a corporation of Delaware Application March 4, 1953, Serial No. 340,286

6 Claims. (C1. 183--37) Our invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more especially to vacuum cleaners of the automatic type in which the closure for the dust container compartment is opened in response to such an accumulation of dust within the container as reducesthe efficiency of the cleaner to a predetermined value. Such cleaners preferably employ a disposable dust container comprising a bag portion of air pervious paper secured at one end to a disc of relatively still cardboard which is held in seated position against a gasket in the opening to the dust container compartment by the closure member bearing against it. The

latter is urged towards open position by a spring and is held in closed position by a latching mechanism which is automatically releasable, the force for releasing it preferably being produced by subjecting a diaphragm to a partial vacuum created by the motor-fan unit of the cleaner. Consequently, unless the diaphragm is made unreasonably large, the force availablefor releasing the latching mechanism is limited. However, due to unavoidable variations in dimensions occurring in mass production, and due to the fact that the closure meniberbears against the cardboard disc of the dust container, which in turn seats on a gasket, the dimensions of which may vary, the force required to release the latching mechanism may vary sure while the latter is in closed position.

Further, in accordance with our invention, means are provided for automatically retaining the keeper in adjusted position.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and of which;

Fig. 1 is an end view of a vacuum cleaner embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view partially in cross-section, of a portion of the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 2 with the front cover open, viewed in the direction of the line33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the vacuum cleaner;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view takenon the line 55 of Fig. 6; and i Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 stantially horizontal position on a horizontal surface. One end of the housing 10 forms a dust container compartment 14 which has an opening in a substantially vertical plane, and which is provided with a closure member designated generally by reference character 16. This closure member includes a portion 18 which is pivotally mounted at 20 to brackets 22 extending forwardly from the housing 10. A hose connector element 24 is pivotally carried by the portion 18 of the closure member about pivots 26 and a link 28 ispivotally connected between the hose connector 24 and one of the brackets 22. This link 28 and the portion 18 together serve as parallel motion linkage which causes the hose connector 24 to remain parallel to itself when the closure member moves between the closed position, shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and the open position shown in broken lines in this figure.

The hose connector carries an inlet tube 30 which extends a short distance into the dust container compartment 14 when the closure is in closed position. A dust container comprises a bag portion 32 of air pervious material, such as paper, secured to a relatively rigid disc portion 34 of cardboard, which disc portion extends outwardly beyond the side Walls of the bag portion. A gasket 36 of rubber or the like forms a seat around the opening of the dust container compartment 14, against which the disc 34 is adapted to be seated. The central portion of the disc is formed with an inlet aperture into which extends the inlet conduit 30 and the hose connector is provided with a. flexible gasket 38 surrounding the inlet conduit which bears against the central portion of the disc and thus holds the latter in its aforesaid seated posi tion.

Housing 10 also encloses a motor-fan unit 40 having an inlet opening 42 communicating with the (lust container compartment 14. Operation of the fan serves to draw air inwardly through the hose connector and inlet conduit 30 and through the porous material of the bag portion 32 to the inlet opening 42 of the fan.

A coil spring 44 surrounding the pivot 20 tends at all times to pivot the closure member 16 to the open position shown in Fig. 2. For retaining the closure member in closed position there is provided a latch 46 pivoted to the housing 10 at 48. This latch is provided with a stepped shoulder which is engageable with a keeper designated generally by reference character 50. This keeper includes a threaded portion 52 which has threaded engagement with a threaded bore 54 extending through the portion 18 of the closure member. The outer end of the threaded member 52 is provided with a screw driver slot 56 or the like which is accessible from the exterior of the closure member for turning the threaded member in the bore. The inner end of the threaded member carries a head 53, preferably made of hardened material, having a plurality of flat edges, the uppermost edge of which is adapted to be engaged by the stepped shoulder on the latch member 46. A U- shaped spring 60 is received in a recess 62 formed in the closure member and is adapted to bear against one of the otherfiat edges of the head 58 so as to ofier resistance against the turning of the threadedmember 52, while permitting turning of the member if suflicient force is applied thereto.

The outer end 64 of the latch extends through an opening in the closure member and is thus accessible for manual manipulation. The inner end 66 of the latch is disposed underneath a plate 68 which is secured to a pivotally mounted arm 70. A coil spring 71 is connected between the end 66 of the latch and arm 70 and tends to pivot the latch counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig 2, into engagement with the keeper. One end of arm 70 extends to the exterior of the housing where it nipulated manually. .Plate v68 is provided with a .slot 74 through which extends a pin 76, the upper end of which is provided with a head 78, while the lower end is' secured to'a diaphra-gm 80 forming the upper wallzof a diaphragm chamber 82. This chamber is connected by means of a conduit 84 with a combined valve and diaphragm chamber 86. This chamber contains a diaphragm whichis subjected on opposite sides to the pressure-existing in the inlet conduit 30, communicated through a flexible tube 88, and" to the pressure existing within the dust container compartment 14-, communicate'dthrough a conduit '90. It will be seen that the difierence in pressures between the inlet conduit 30 and the interior of the dust container compartment 14 induties the pressure drop through the air pervious material-of the 'dust'conta'iner '32. When this pressure difference reaches a predetermined value, the diaphragm is moved sufliciently to'opena valve which establishes communication 'between the conduits 90 and 84, thus communicating full fan suction to the diaphragm chamber 82. This causes the diaphragm to move downwardly, thus pivoting the plate '68 downwardly against the inner end 66 of the latch member. This in turn pivots the latch member in a clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 2, 4 and '5, so :as to release 'itfrom engagement with the keeper -50.

Inasmuch as the latch member 46 is operated by means of a partial vacuum applied to the diaphragm 80, the force available for moving the latch member is limited if the area of the diaphragm is to be maintained within reasonable limits. Howeventhe force required to move the latch member could vary substantially between different cleaners if no means were provided for adjustment. This is so because the :force required to move the latch is dependent on the force exerted by the keeper against the stepped shoulder and this may vary because of variations in the dimensions of the difierent parts. For example, the latch member 46 is preferably a stampin'g and in mass production it is impractical to maintain too close tolerances-in .its dimensions. Also, the position of the closure member when in closed position is dependent on the thickness of the cardboard disc 34 of the dust container and on the dimensions of the gaskets -36 and 38.

Consequently, in order to compensate for these different variables we provide an arrangement whereby the position of the keeper with respect to the latch member 46 may be readily adjusted after the vacuum cleaner has been completely assembled and the closure member closed, Thus if the shoulder on the latch 46 will not :engage the keeper, or if it will engage it but excessive force is required to disengage the latch, a screw driver may be inserted into the slot '56 of the threaded member 52, andthe latter turned inwardly until it is in the proper position with respect to the latch. During this turning lthespring 60 slides from one flat surface of the head '58 to the next, but prevents-undesired turning of the threaded member due to vibration or the like. "latch does not hold the closure member close enough to Conversely, if the the opening to the dust container compartment for the "closure to properly hold the disc 34 against the seat 36,

the threaded member '52 may be turned in the opposite direction.

It will thus be seen that, in accordance with our invention, we have provided means, accessible from the exterior of the closure member when the latter is closed, foradjustingthe tightness of the closure member and consequently the force required to release the latch which holds it closed. While we have described one "more or less specific embodiment of .our invention, it is- .tobepnderstood that this has been done for the purpose What we claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a housing forming a dust container compartment having an opening for the insertion and removal of a dust container, a closure for said opening, means tending to open said closure, a latch member movably carried by said housing, said closure being formed with a threaded bore extending from the'interior to the exterior thereof, a threaded member engaged in said bore, and a keeper carried by the inner end of said threaded member for engagement by said latch member for retaining the closure in closed position, the outer end of said threaded member being accessible for rotation from the exterior of said compartment when the closure is in closed position to adjust the position of said keeper with respect to said latch member.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a housing forming a dust container compartment having an opening for the insertion and removalof a dust container, :a closure for said opening, means tending to open said closure, a latch member movably carried by said housing, said closure .being formed with a threaded bore extending from the interior to the exterior thereof, a-threaded member engaged in said bore, a head carried by the inner-end of said threaded member, said head having a plurality of angularlygdis posed edge surfaces one of. which is engageable by said latch member for retaining the closure in closed position, the outer end of said threaded member being accessible for rotation from the exterior of said compartment when the closure is closed toadjust the position of said keeper with respect to said latch member,-and a spring carried by said closure and :bearing against another of said edge surfaces for restraining said keeper and threaded member against accidental rotation. I

3. In a vacuum cleaner, :1 housing forming a dust container compartmenthaving an opening for the insertion and removal of a dust container, a seat formed around said opening, a dust container including a relatively stiff disc having its peripheral portion seatable on said seat,

a closure pivotally mountedon said housing and pivotal to a closed position pressing against the central portion of said disc for retaining said peripheral portion on said seat, means tending to open said closure, a :latch member pivotally carried by said housing, a keeper carried by said closure for engagement by said latch member for retaining the closure in closed position, and means acces- ,sible from the exterior of said compartment when the closure is in closed position for adjusting the position of said keeper with respect to said latch member to varythe pressure of said closure against saiddisc.

4. In a vacuumcleaner, a housing forming a dust'con- .tainer compartment having an opening for the insertion and removal of a dust container, a seat formed :around said opening, a dust container including a relatively stilt disc having its peripheral portion seatable on said seat, a closure pivotally mounted on said housing and pivotal 'zto a closed position pressing against the central portion .of said disc for'retaining said peripheralportion v,on said seat, means tending to-open said closure, a latch member pivotally carried'by said housing, said closure being formed with a threaded bore extending from the interior to the exterior thereof, a threaded member engaged in said bore, and a keeper carried by the inner end of said threaded member for engagement by said latch member for retaining the closure inclosed position, the outer end of said threaded member being accessible for rotapressure of said closure against said disc.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a housing forming adustcontainercompartment having anopening, a dust container insertable into and removable from said compartment through said opening, means ,for producing-a partial vacuum in said compartment for inducing how .of air .into and through .said dust container, a closure f.0r s,a'i.d

opening, means tending to open said closure, ,a latch member movably carried by said housing, a keeper carn'ed by said closure for engagementb y said latch memher for retaining the closure in closed position, fluid pressure responsive means operable by the partial vacuum in said compartment for moving said latch member to disengage the latter from said keeper, and means accessible from the exterior of said compartment when the closure is in closed position for adjusting the position of said keeper with respect to said latch member to vary the force required to disengage the latch member from the keeper.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a housing forming a dust container compartment having an opening, a seat formed around said opening, a dust container insertable into and removable from said compartment through said opening and including a relatively stifi disc having its peripheral portion seatable on said seat, means for producing a partial vacuum in said compartment for inducing flow of air into and through said dust container, a closure pivotally mounted on said housing and pivotal to a closed position pressing against the central portion of said disc for retaining said peripheral portion on said seat, means tending to open said closure, a latch member pivotally carried by said housing, a keeper carried by said closure for engagement by said latch member for retaining the closure in closed position, fluid pressure responsive means operable by the partial vacuum in said compartment for moving said latch member to disengage the latter from said keeper, and means accessible from the exterior of said compartment when the closure is closed for adjusting the position of said keeper with respect to said latch member to vary the pressure of said closure against said disc and to thereby vary the force required to disengage the latch member from the keeper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,900,077 Riffie Mar. 7, 1933 2,564,467 Cranmer Aug. 14, 1951 2,564,468 Anderson Aug. 14, 1951 2,580,644 Lofgren Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 543,914 France June 12, 1922 

